Star-Fallen
by A.Mahalia
Summary: Picking up 3 months after the Suvek detonated, life in Edendale and in the Atrian Sector has changed drastically. With the government in control, drastic measures are being taken to ensure the Atrians remember there place: integration is over, Trags are being publicly executed and the outside world knows nothing about it. Based on Zap2It interview with creator Meredith Averil.
1. Chapter 1: Roman

Roman

The awful sound of the temblor gun rang through what used to be the Atrian market. Roman stared straight ahead, past the body of the recently-executed Trag, a solemn look on his face. Distantly, he heard a woman scream, probably the mother of the dead Atrian, mourning the loss of her traitorous son.

"Let me remind you all," cried a deep, booming male voice, "that this is the consequence that awaits you if you chose to strike against the human race. We will not tolerate even the slightest hint of terrorism on our planet. Consider yourselves lucky, that you were not all locked in your pods and this Sector lit on fire. That we spare those proven innocent. Those who want to try to integrate into human society."

Beside him, his sister Sophia let out a small sob, as the guard lit a match and tossed it on the Trag's remains. Roman reached down and took her hand in his.

This was how the Sector had been since the Trags detonated the Suvek at Mardi Gras. The Sector had been on complete lockdown. The federal government had swept in, overthrowing Gloria's authority in Edendale. The Atrians were now prisoners in their own pods, only allowed to walk outside during scheduled hours, or for terrorist executions, which took place almost every two days.

The population had dwindled, from executions as well as those who were taken away for questioning and never returned. Rumors were that they had begun building new Sectors in secret locations, with fewer Atrians in each so they could control them better. There were also the Atrians who couldn't handle this life anymore, and swallowed herbs that would kill them. The government officials, who had replaced the SEU guards, deemed those deaths as acts of guilt and called them all terrorists.

Roman's mother had been one of them. She had gotten her hands on black cyper, snuck it into their pod and was dead by morning, when Roman found her. After everything that happened after his father's death, he wasn't taken aback by his mother's choice. He and his sister knew she was no Trag.

The alarm sounded, signalling for the Atrians to return to their pods for the night. Roman placed his hand on Sophia's back, ushering her quickly back to their pod. When the door was opened, the heat from the panels on the walls blasted in their faces like a desert wind. The government men used them to keep the Atrians subdued. They were weakened by heat and lack of humidity in the room.

Sophia shuffled off to her bed, curling up in a ball. Roman was shortly behind her, slumping to the ground beside her bed.

"What did we do to deserve this?" Sophia whispered in Sondiv.

"We tried to help them", Roman replied in English, bitterness seeping into his words.

"We did the right thing. Why can't they see that?"

"Because they're arrogant. We know we did the right thing. We tried to save them from what we thought was a bomb. We had no idea it was a signal."

Sophia sighed, drifting off into sleep.

They had the same conversation every day. Why.

Roman stood up and climbed the ladder to his bunk. Lying on his back he lifted the tile of the ceiling above him and pulled out a star made of string. Emery had shown him how to make them, when he first arrived on Earth ten years ago.

He hadn't seen Emery in three months. Not since she'd been yanked from his arms on the roof after the shock wave from the Suvek blasted the town. He hadn't even been sure if she was even alive for two weeks. It was the worst two weeks of his life.

He closed his eyes, drifting off into the same memory he did every night.

"_Emery! Emery!" he cried, shaking her in his arms. Her eyes were shut, her mouth slack, her hair tangled in her face. _

"_Please Emery! Please! Wake up Emery!" he sobbed, "Don't leave me! Emery! You can't leave me… I need you…" He buried his face in her hair._

_Drake grabbed his shoulders, "Roman, dude, come on. We have to get out of here. We have to go get help!"_

"_I can't leave her. I can't. This is all my fault," he sobbed, "all my fault…"_

_Suddenly, shouts erupted on the ground level, and boot steps thundered up the stairs. _

"_They're coming! Someone's coming!" Drake stood up quickly, preparing to attack if necessary._

_The door crashed open and out poured SEU guards. _

_Everything after was a blur. Suddenly, someone was pulling Emery out of his arms, away from him. "No!" he cried. He lunged to grab her, save her, but he felt a stab in his back and suddenly his body was on fire. He cried out, and fell to the ground, the world going black. _

Roman awoke with a start, almost hitting his head on the ceiling of the pod. The pounding on the door got louder. He shoved Emery's star back into it hiding place and rolled to get out of bed, moving too quickly and landing hard on the floor.

Sophia jumped, but Roman shushed her, telling her to go back to sleep.

He walked towards the door and opened it to reveal three armed guards. The biggest one stepped forward, "You have been summoned by Commander Sinclair. Come with us."

The two behind him slapped cuffs onto him and led him out the door. Distantly he heard his sister call out for him.

Confused with sleep, Roman shook his head harshly, realising there was only one reason for the Commander to summon him…

It must be time for his execution.


	2. Chapter 2: Emery

2\. Emery

Emery jogged up to her front door, "I'm coming! Hold on!" she called to whoever was pounding on the door. She had an idea who it was, and her suspicions were confirmed when she swung it open and was met by three military-type men in full uniform and a tall man in a suit.

"How can I help you, officers?" She asked, already knowing the answer.

The man in the suit stepped forward, "Ms. Whitehill, we would like you to come with us for questioning."

Two other guards stepped forward, into her home, and restrained her hand behind her back. She didn't fight them when they put the cuffs on her hands, and led her to their vehicle. This was her Saturday morning routine.

They drove in silence, until they reached a compound, set up beside the Sector. When they took her out of the car, she didn't hear anything. The Sector, that was always loud and full of life, was always so quiet now. Like no Atrians actually lived there anymore. Which could be true, and no one would even know. Nobody knew what happened in the Sector, not since the Suvek.

They led her into the compound, into the interrogation suit, where a government official waited for her. It was the same man every time, tall and burly, but he never told her his name.

She sat in the chair, and the guards uncuffed her and left, locking the door behind them. She rubbed her wrists, "No. I have not had any contact with anyone from the Atrian Sector since the Suvek detonated and you put them on permanent lockdown," Emery sighed, exasperated.

The government official sitting across from her looked unimpressed with her. He always did.

"You come to my home, sweep me away and ask me the same questions every week. Why do you expect me to suddenly change my answers," she narrowed her eyes at him, coming to realization, "Unless you're worried that the lockdown isn't as tight as you thought it was and Atrians are disappearing?"

His expression remained the same, "I beg your pardon Ms. Whitehill, but you are at the top of our list of Atrian sympathizers. As long as you remain there we will continue to have these checkups, until you've convinced us that you are not a danger to this town or country. And may I note, you are doing a terrible job."

Emery sighed, "I have not seen or heard from anyone with any relation to-"

"Were you aware that guards have caught an Atrian extremist by the name of Roman, and his accomplice Drake, attempting to sneak out of the Sector on multiple attempts over the last three months?"

Emery stopped dead.

Giving her head a sharp shake she looked him in the eyes and replied, "No."

The man tapped the screen in the middle of the table, bringing up security footage. He pressed play and Emery saw Roman, clear as day, and Drake, weaving through the Sector block, hiding in the shadows, until they reached a sewage drain. As soon as they reached down to pull the cover off of the drain, a series of green dots lined up on each of their backs. Slowly, they turned around, met by a dozen guards with temblor guns trained on them. They raised their hands in surrender, and were cuffed. They didn't put up a fight. Emery realized they looked older, weaker; like they hadn't had any water lately.

The screen blacked out and she looked up at the man across the table from her. She said nothing.

"As you can see Ms. Whitehill, these Atrians are trying to escape, breaking strict rules. They're lucky we haven't shipped them off to the Crate, or worse."

Emery forced back tears, "They aren't trying to hurt anyone! They just want to be free, to live! We're they're friends. You can't keep them away from us forever, it's cruel."

"You all said goodbye to freedom when we found you in the building after the shockwave that nearly killed everyone at your Mardis Gras celebration. After not reporting what ou knew to the authorities as soon as you learned of the device."

With that he stood up, "I'll see you again next week, Ms. Whitehill." And he left her, alone, in the interrogation room.

Emery sat in the back corner of the coffee shop, waiting for her friends. It wasn't the same as the Bug, which had been destroyed after the shockwave blast, but it was an unpopular destination for anybody who would eavesdrop on their conversations.

Julia was the first to arrive, Eric in tow. Neither had changed much in the months since the blast. Julia seemed distant at times, like she was zoned into another world or something, but she'd pop back in as concerned and involved as ever. Both had been blacklisted as Atrian sympathizers.

Soon after sitting down with their coffee, Taylor walked in. She'd changed the most. The previous Queen B fashionista was dressed in sweats with her hair tied up in a messy bun. After losing her baby in a car accident and not being able to see Drake, she'd struggled to bounce back into her daily life. Especially when it got out that she'd been carrying an Atrian baby and she was placed just below Emery on the Blacklist.

"Decaf vanilla chai latte, right here," Emery held out a cup to Taylor.

"Thanks Em, you know me well," Taylor gave her a warm smile.

Julia studied Emery's face, "What's wrong Em? You look like you're going to cry."

Emery did a sweep of the room to make sure no one could hear her, "I was taken in for my weekly interrogation today. And I got some… news."

"News about what?" Taylor asked.

"About… Inside the sector."

Taylor squeezed her cup, tears welling in her eyes.

"Apparently, the guards have caught… certain Atrians… Trying to sneak out of the Sector."

"Who? Who's trying to sneak out, Emery?" Taylor leaned forward and grabbed her hand.

"Roman. And Drake."

Taylor let her hand fall to her stomach, and the tears came back to her eyes. She closed them and breathed slowly.

"Oh, Em…" Julia leaned over and hugged her best friend. Emery tried to hold back her tears. Tried to be strong for the group. A silent sob racked her body.

Eric piped in, "Not meaning to sound rude or anything, but why is it sad? That's good isn't it? They're trying to get out."

Taylor wiped her eyes, "It's good but if the guards are catching them, that's bad. If they don't stop they could…" she trailed off.

"They could be labeled as Trags trying to escape. And if the rumors are true, they might not end up in the Crate as punishment…"

The door jingled as Grayson walked in and sat in the empty seat, "Sorry I'm late guys, but I think I solved our getting off the grid problem… What'd I miss?"

Eric leaned over and quietly filled him in. He cursed under his breath.

Emery straightened herself and looked to Grayson, "You said you solved our problem?"

"Right. Well not necessarily ours, but definitely yours and Taylor's. I found a cabin up in the bayou, around where you mentioned Eljida is said to be. It'd be perfect to keep you guys away from the officials and the blacklist. I can pull some strings if you're interested."

"Could we get away with that? Since we're on the list. Don't they have to know where we are to interrogate us regularly?" Taylor scoffed.

Julia piped in, cheerfully, "I actually looked into that one." She pulled out her tablet and brought up a government website, "To summarize, they don't have a court order saying you are a witness or a felon or on trial or anything, nothing saying you have to stay in the state or country or anything. You could up and leave at any time. Both of you."

Emery smiled, "So we can get out?"

"You're both eighteen. You can do whatever the Hell you want," Julia smiled.

Taylor stood up, "Well. We might as well see what kind of hole we'll be hiding away in until we find a way to fix everything. Save the world and all that jazz."

They parked Grayson's jeep just off the road, concealing it in vines and brush, just in case anyone followed them into the bayou.

The group walked through the trees, following Grayson to the safe house. He slowed for a second, pulled a bottle out of his pocket and popped a pill in his mouth. Emery frowned. When he did that, it meant he was in pain. While he'd survived Zoe's gunshot to his chest, he still felt pain when he exercised too much. She'd tried to talk about it with him, but he'd always change the subject.

"It's just up ahead," he called back to them.

Emery slowed down, waiting for Taylor to catch up to them. They fell into stride.

"I hope we don't get eaten by alligators or something. I'd hate to survive an Atrian shock wave blaster only to be brought down by a gator," Taylor sighed.

Emery wrapped an arm around her, "It's gonna be okay Taylor. We'll find a way to get them out. They're still safe."

Taylor nodded and looked ahead.

Grayson, Julia and Eric were standing in a clearing by the swamp. A small wooden cabin stood at the edge. "Welcome to the Safe House," Grayson called to them. The two girls jogged to the group in the clearing.

"Wow. This is pretty cool," Emery commented.

"I got a friend to set it up inside. Food, necessities, tech, the whole thing. And it's all encrypted too, so nobody can track your activity," Grayson went on. He showed them around the cabin. Both Taylor and Emery had a bag of their things from home. They'd kept one in everyone's car in case of emergency.

The group got Emery and Taylor settled in, and stayed around until twilight. Then, they said their goodbyes, promising to return tomorrow.

Once they were gone, Emery turned to Taylor, "Come on. We've got to get moving before it's too dark to find our way out."

Taylor looked at her, confused, "Em, hey, what are you taking about?"

After ruffling through her bag for a minute, Emery pulled out some clothes and paper. She explained to Taylor, "Atrian uniforms. I swiped them from the Compound this morning after my interrogation. These," she held up the papers, "Are temporary tattoos. We just need to rub them on."

Taylor grabbed them from Emery, "These look like- Why are we dressing like Atrians?"

Emery held out a uniform to her, "We're going to break into the Sector."


	3. Chapter 3: Taylor

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3\. Taylor

Taylor looked up and down the block from her position in the alley, "It's clear, the guards just turned the corner. They're walking away." She grabbed Emery's hand and pulled her with her from the shadows. Staying low, the girls snuck across the field towards the sewage drain, careful to stay hidden in the long grass. Their grey Atrian uniforms made that easy.

When they reached the drain, Taylor pulled off the cover, exposing rods that looked like jail bars. "Fitting," she muttered and grabbed onto one, and yanked. It sprung out of place. She pulled out four bars, just enough for them to squeeze through.

Emery shook her head, "I'll never get used to your Wonder Woman strength."

Taylor gave her a look and pushed her into the drain, "Go, before they come back. I'm right behind you." As Emery crawled away, Taylor crawled inside, pulling the grate back over the drain and sealing them in.

The tunnel stretched on for almost 5 minutes. When they reached the end, Taylor removed the bars and quietly pushed out the cover, revealing a dark corner of the Atrian Sector. They crawled out and she replaced the cover. Taylor turned to Emery, "Okay, where are we going? I've never actually been here before."

Emery smiled sadly, looking around, "It's not what it used to be." She stood and helped Taylor to her feet, "Come on, we'll go to Roman's pod. Drake might even be there. If not, we'll have Roman show the way." Taking her and, she ducked low and jogged down the alleyway, Taylor on her heals.

In five minutes, they arrived at a faded storage container, or pod as everyone called them. Emery didn't knock just pulled open the door and slipped inside. Taylor followed right behind her.

"Roman? Sophia?" Emery whispered.

The pod was dark and hot. Taylor rolled up her sleeves. She felt herself growing thirsty.

"Roman? Sophia? Please be here" Emery repeated. Suddenly her head jerked around, towards a bunk bed, "Taylor! Over here."

Taylor jogged over, seeing a figure lying on the bed. Sophia. She knelt down next to the bed with Emery, who was pulling a water bottle out of her satchel. She handed it to Sophia, murmuring in some other language. Sondiv, Taylor realized.

"Go," Sophia said weakly. She gulped down half of the water, splashing the rest on her face. Her marks glowed blue and she sighed, refreshed. Suddenly she looked from Emery to Taylor, "What are you guys doing here? How did you get into the Sector? If they find you, you'll never make it back outside. And how did you get those marks? Doesn't matter, you have to come with-"

She was interrupted by a pounding on the door. Taylor looked at it, horrified.

Sophia ran her hands through her hair, "Okay, there's nowhere to hide you. Just go sit on the couch and try to act Atrian. Just go with it." She walked over to the door and opened it.

A voice on the other side started talking to her. Taylor couldn't hear them from the couch but somebody shoved Sophia into the wall and several guards walked in. Taylor and Emery both looked at them, terrified.

"Why are you not in your own pods, girls? You know the rules. Now come with us," the man waved a hand to the guards and they marched over to Taylor and Emery, grabbing them and hauling them off of the couch like they were dolls. Taylor watched one guard lead Sophia back to her bed, injecting her with something that put her to sleep, just as their guards dragged them outside, slamming the pod door.

The second they got outside, the girls were turned and slammed face first into the wall of the pod.

"Hey!" Emery cried, as Taylor asked them what they were doing, in not such kind words.

The guards slapped cuffs on their hands and spun them around. A man, dressed in a suit rather than a guard's uniform, stepped towards them with a bowl of water. He splashed Taylor in the face. She cried out in annoyance. He did the same to Emery, earning a shriek.

"Wipe those tattoos off of their faces. They aren't Atrians. Then, bring them to the Commander's quarters," he paused, re-evaluating, "On second thought, eave them like that. I'm sure he'd love to see the lengths these race-traitors have gone to." And with that he walked off.

A guard grabbed the arm of both girls, half dragging half-carrying them along. Taylor fought her captors, kicking and shrieking. It earned her a hard backhand from another guard, bringing her to tears. They threw her to the ground. She landed face first, unable to break her fall. She rolled and spat dirt in the men's faces.

Emery shrieked as one guard wound up to kick Taylor. In return, one of her guards let her go, "Hold off, Erikson. I've got a better idea for the race-traitor," he laughed, reaching for something on his holster.

"No!" screeched Emery, as the man pulled the trigger on the gun he'd drawn. A tiny blue wire flew out and embedded itself in Taylor's stomach.

Taylor convulsed, pain shooting through her body, like nothing she'd felt before. She gritted her teeth, swearing to herself she wouldn't cry. She squeezed her eyes shut, focusing on the sobs she hear coming from Emery's direction.

The pain lasted half a minute, then her guards grabbed her arms and hauled her to her feet.

The guard who had tasered her laughed, "Maybe that'll teach you two to behave."

Neither girl said or did anything for the remainder of their trip to the Commander's office.

After a few moments, they arrived at a small building, and a guard swiped his pass, unlocking heavy metal doors. The girls were escorted into the building. From the interior, Taylor recognized it to be the Compound she visited every week for questioning. She'd never been in this section, or known that it connected to the Sector directly.

The same guard keyed open a door. The girls' handcuffs were taken off and they were shoved into the dark room. The guards slammed the door, leaving them in total darkness.

It was silent. Taylor could only hear their breathing. It took her a moment, but soon she realized that they weren't alone. She heard two other breathes, coming from across the room.

At that moment, the lights went up in the room. Taylor blinked rapidly, her eyes adjusting. She rubbed them, wincing as she touched the side of her face the guard had hit. It was swollen already.

She heard Emery take in a sharp breathe. Looking across the room she saw two boys, sitting against the farthest wall. She couldn't see their faces, but she'd recognize one of them anywhere.

His body was bruised, and he looked worn and tired. She'd never seen him look so weak before.

"Drake?" she whispered. He raised his head and she bolted across the room, throwing her arms around him.

He looked weak but he wrapped his arms around her with the same strength he always had, as if he never wanted to let her go. She pressed her lips to his, kissing him for the first time in three months. She hadn't seen him for three months. Her feeling overwhelmed her.

He put his hands on the sides of her face and she winced. He pushed her face back and looked at her. She watched his face change from surprised and happy to concerned and furious.

"What the hell did they do to you Taylor?" He exclaimed, his jaw set in anger.

"Nothing I couldn't handle. God Drake I thought I'd never see you again," she felt the tears she'd held back in the Sector flood her eyes.

He wiped them away, "Its okay. I'm here now. I'll protect you." He brought her close, holding her against him.

Only then did she look back at Emery. She hadn't moved. Only then did Taylor look at the person sitting next to Drake. It was Roman. They were staring at each other, neither one moving to meet the other.

The old Taylor crept up, probably due to Drake, and she rolled her eyes, "I know it's not the reunion either of us planned, but Em, if one of you don't move soon, I am going to have to drag you over here."

In the blink of an eye, Emery was on her feet. Roman had barely stood up as she threw herself into his arms.

Taylor turned back to Drake. He was staring at the bruises on her face. "I'm fine, Drake. Don't worry about me."

He took her hands in his, "That's all I've done for the past the months, worry about you two."

Taylor's smile shattered on his last word. Before either of them could say anything, the door opened.

At that moment, Drake and Roman convulsed and cried out, throwing the girls away from them.

And in walked the Commander.


	4. Chapter 4: Roman

**Hey guys! I know it's been forever, and I'm sorry for making y'all wait for so long. Thank you for all your amazing comments. Without further ado… Here's the next Chapter! Enjoy -A

4\. Roman

Roman fell from Emery's arms, convulsing on the floor. He gritted his teeth against the pain, and focused on Emery's cries. She dropped down beside him and clung to him. Just as the pain eased, he felt her being ripped away from him.

It was a feeling he remembered too well, from the night of the Mardis Gras parade. Despite the white hot pain, like he was being burned alive, Roman's eyes snapped open and he reached for Emery. He wasn't going to let them take her away from him again.

He grasped onto her wrist, holding on with everything inside him. He met her tear filled eyes, willing her to hear him soothe her, tell her that he'd be okay. He opened his mouth to tell her he loved her, to tell her to stop crying, because they were finally together again. But, instead of words, a moan escaped his lips. He faintly registered a pin-prick on the side of his neck. His breathe turned ragged and laboured, and soon his grip on her wrist loosened and he fell into the blackness.

Roman awoke to the feel of cold steel beneath him. He opened his eyes and instantly recognized the interrogation room off of the Commander's office. He went to move, only to realize his wrists were bound to the arms of the chair with black zip-ties. He fought for seconds before heaving a sigh and slouching; defeated.

He rolled his head and noticed a figure slumped in the chair beside him. Her head hung forward, her dark hair sticking to sweat and faint remnants of rub-on tattoos on her face. Her beautiful dark eyes were closed and her jaw was slack. _Emery_.

As she sat there, unconscious, he got the chance to really look at her. Her long hair was matted and limp, like she hadn't washed it in days. Her face was smeared with dirt and mud, and he noticed blotched bruises in varying shades of purple, blue and yellow. Her eyes had sunken into her face, and she looked thin and wiry rather than her lean, athletic self.

_Emery, what happened to you?_ He wanted to ask her.

Before he could speak up he heard someone stir on his other side. He looked over to see Drake and Taylor strapped to chairs, just like himself and Emery.

Whilst he saw what he expected when he looked at Drake- the same thinner, battered and bruised man his best friend had become- he was utterly shocked to see Taylor.

The former Queen B was covered in dirt and blood, including her messy blonde hair. Her lip was split and still bleeding, and the entire right side of her face was swollen and coloured purple. He realized that the shape of it resembled a handprint. He noticed the small charred hole in the front of her shirt and winced. He couldn't help but notice how flat her stomach was. Putting two and two together he wondered how Drake would react when he _really_ saw Taylor. His heart broke for his best friend.

"Roman…" croaked Emery from his side.

He looked back to her. She was blinking her eyes rapidly, trying to figure out where they were. "It's okay Emery. It will all be okay," he assured her. He wished with everything he had that he could reach out and hold her hand, wrap his arms around her and soothe her.

"What the-" Drake cursed loudly in Sondiv and in English. His head whipped over to Taylor, and Roman witnessed so many emotions flash through Drake's eyes. Recognition, relief, realization, anger, sadness, fury, despair, concern all on repeat.

Suddenly, the door to the room opened and through it walked two armed guards. Behind them was a tall, dark haired man in a suit. The Commander himself. Taking up the rear were two more armed guards.

The Commander walked to the other side of the table and sat in the chair opposite Roman and his friends.

Roman narrowed his eyes.

"Oh Roman, you should know better than to look at me with those eyes. It only gets you in more trouble. Or perhaps, gets your little race-traitor friends in more trouble. Those girls don't look too well if you ask me." He smiled wickedly.

"Can it, asshole," spat Drake. His eyes had settled on fury. He struggled against his restraints with such force that his hands turned white as bone.

The Commander rolled his eyes, "Relax boys, I'm not here to hurt your little girlfriends." He waved to one of the guards, "Wake up the blonde one if you would, she should hear this."

Wordlessly, the guard moved towards Taylor and stuck a pen against her neck. Roman heard a small _zap_ of electricity and immediately Taylor gasped and jolted awake. Drake practically growled.

"Now where was I?" asked the Commander, "Oh right. Why are you all here? As much as you all think I'm here to kill you, I'm not. It saddens me to say this but we actually need your help."

Roman and his friends all stared at him.

Roman was startled to hear Emery break the silence, "If you want us to help, you may want to show a sign of peace and untie us."

The Commander thought for a moment, and nodded at the guards. Each drew a knife and walked towards each of them. They lowered their blades towards each of their wrists and slashed the zip ties around their wrists. Roman began rubbing his wrists.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Drake reach out and grab Taylor's hand, quicker than a viper. Roman went to reach for Emery's hand, only to realize she had her hands in her lap.

"Thank you. I think we'd like to hear what you have to say Commander."

She had a strong, authority aura to her, wise and mature beyond her years.

The Commander nodded to her, "Well, Miss. Whitehill, as you must have realized, the Suvek bomb was not a bomb at all. Rather, it was a signal from the Trag rebel Atrians. Most likely to Atrians waiting somewhere. Our concerns were confirmed when NASA reported dozens of small masses entering our atmosphere. This call came two days after your Mardis Gras parade fiasco."

"And what does that have to do with us? We had no clue what the Trags had planned. We were under the impression we were stopping a bomb from wiping out the city," insisted Roman.

"We have come to understand that Roman. We do not believe you or your race-traitor friends had anything to do with the Trag's plans," he replied.

White hot anger built up inside of Roman. Was this man really saying he had harassed and beaten his family and friends for false reasons? That he'd known they were innocent and still allowed them to suffer and wonder each day when they woke up, if it would be their last? Before he could erupt, Drake beat him to it.

"What the Hell are you saying?! Explain to me why you've put us through this shit! Beaten these girls for nothing! Put us through the ringer _for nothing_!"

The Commander held up a hand to Drake, silencing him, "I assure you, these girls were not meant to be harmed. In fact, instructions were to _not_ harm them. Those who disobeyed me will be handled as I see fit. However, they did break the law by impersonating Atrians and sneaking into the Sector. But this is unacceptable. Now, if you are done, I'd like to explain to you what I'd like you to do."

The four remained silent, so he continued.

"Now, we've identifies the intruders as Atrians who would like to put an end to the Sector and colonize our planet Earth. They have been taking Atrians from the Sector since they arrived. You Atrians assumed it was us, but in fact it was your own kind responsible for the disappearances. As for your role, I'd like to put an end to the lockdown on the Sector and release the Atrians Seven back into the city for recon. If you and your friends can bring us the information we need to put a stop to the invasion, then I'd do whatever necessary to release the Seven into human society- permanently."

He finished his speech and the room fell utterly silent. And for once, nobody broke it.


	5. Chapter 5: Emery

5\. Emery

Emery wanted to pinch herself to see if she'd wake up. Everything that had happened in the last hour was kind of a surreal blur. From sneaking into the Sector disguised as Atrians with Taylor, to getting caught, to Taylor being beaten and tazered, to finding Roman and Drake at the Compound to this; finding out that everything they had endured for the last three months was under false pretenses.

The Commander had left the room a few minutes ago, telling them he'd give them time to consider his offer. None of them had said a word, each silently processing his words.

"_Now, we've identified the intruders as Atrians who would like to put an end to the Sector and colonize our planet Earth. They have been taking Atrians from the Sector since they arrived."_

Seriously. Atrians kidnapping Atrians? And then there was his offer…

"_If you and your friends can bring us the information we need to put a stop to the invasion, then I'd do whatever necessary to release the Seven into human society- permanently."_

Permanently. Releasing the Seven permanently. She'd never even thought that would happen; even considered that she and Roman could really be together. Her eyes shifted to Roman, _How has that never even crossed my mind?_ She wondered.

She shook her head and rubbed her hands over her face, tiredly. She felt a hand rub circles between her shoulders. She looked over to see it was Roman. Surprising herself, she started to relax; his touch familiar and comforting, even after three months without it.

"So what are we supposed to do?" she asked, feeling deflated.

Drake scoffed from the other side of the room. He was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed in front of him. "Are we even supposed to believe him? He's been executing our kind for three months. One every day. I've watched friends die because of him. And he expects us to trust him? Screw him. Screw them all!"

Taylor started to get up, wincing in pain and stumbled forward. Drake's composure broke and he lunged to catch her. She straightened and leaned into him. Emery swore she saw tears fill Taylor's eyes as Drake wrapped a strong arm around her, squeezing gently.

"What I don't get, is why would the other Atrians be kidnapping us? I mean, what does that do for them?" asked Roman.

Suddenly it clicked in Emery's head. She sat up straight, Roman's hand falling from her back. "They aren't kidnapping them. Let me guess, everyone that disappeared was a Trag." Roman nodded, and Emery continued, "Exactly. They aren't kidnapping them they're _recruiting _them. The Trags and the other Atrians all want to colonize Earth. They're building numbers."

Drake cursed. So did Roman, which surprised Emery.

"I should've seen it sooner. Of course," Roman looked off for a moment, thinking, before he spoke again, "About eighty-seven Trags were executed. Seventeen Trag families have disappeared, and maybe twenty other people. I'd guess that's about seventy-five Trags. And there were thousands of our people that didn't come with us on Arrival Day who would want to colonize an already colonized planet."

Emery bit her lip, "Should we tell the Commander this?" she asked.

All four of them looked at each other. Emery could tell Taylor wanted to, the hope of beginning a life with Drake was what she'd wanted ever since she'd gotten pregnant by him. She'd told Emery of the neighborhood Gloria had been building, a safe haven for Atrian-Human families. Emery had seen it herself, but hadn't imagined ever living there. Hadn't ever imagined that she could live a public life with Roman.

Drake's look confused Emery. She could tell he'd go to great lengths to escape captivity within the Sector. But he was loyal to his people, wanting also what was best for them. And he had be a Trag, a long time ago it felt. But he loved Taylor, his strong arms rapped protectively around her was proof of that. He'd want to tell.

Then there was Roman. Did he really want a life outside the Sector? A life with her? After all, there was the matter of Teri. Would Roman really chose a human over one of his own people? A voice in her heard answered, _Yes._ It sounded oddly like him. He'd tell the Commander in a heartbeat.

A then there was her. Did she want the Commander to know? Did she want the Seven released from the Sector?

She tasted blood and realized she'd chewed through her lip. She rubbed her face again, she was exhausted. "Well, I guess it's a no brainer. We tell him and we do everything we can to help him" She nodded to herself and wiped away the blood that was trickling down her chin. Roman held out a piece of cloth to her and she took it, blotting her lip absentmindedly, avoiding eye contact with everyone.

They'd barely made the decision when the door flew open and the Commander strode in and took his seat across from them. He raised an eyebrow at them, "So. Have you all made a decision yet?"

Emery kept busy with her bleeding lip so she didn't have to talk. She couldn't help but wonder why she felt they were making the wrong decision.

Thankfully, Roman spoke up, addressing the Commander, "We'll give you our best efforts to stop the outside Atrians. But I want your word that none of my people will be harmed, regardless of if you succeed or not."

Emery watched from under her lashes as the Commander weighed the demand. "Fine," he agreed, "I will see to it that none of the Atrians in the Sector are harmed. However, I cannot make that promise towards the Trags, as you call them. If they rebel against my people I will stop them."

She heard Drake's knuckles crack as he clenched his fists, but Roman's voice sounded evenly, "I can see your reasoning to that. I do not wish for any of your men to be harmed either. I only ask that you leave the fate of any rebel Trags in my hands, rather than yours. They are still my people. I will give you a list of those I know to be Trags, and if you agree I think it'd be appropriate if they were locked away in the Crate, where they can do no harm."

Emery was taken aback by Roman's words. Lock the Trags in the Crate? Roman detested that place, and how it drained an Atrian of what made them who they are.

The Commander chuckled, "As you wish, Ikson." The Atrian word sounded foreign on his tongue, and everyone seemed taken aback. He continued, "Do you have any other information that would be of use to me immediately?"

There was a moment of silence before anyone spoke. Surprisingly it was Drake.

"The outsider's aren't kidnapping us from the Sector, they're recruiting Trags. That's why Roman is so willing to lock up Trags, to keep the numbers down. The more they recruit the stronger their army becomes. They have thousands already, more than you humans could imagine," he sighed, adding, "Wherever they are will be close to a large body of water. We thrive off it, as you already know. And it will be isolated, but not too far away. If you let us out of the Sector, Roman and I can scout possible locations."

"As well as my sister," piped in Roman.

The Commander let the air settle, waiting until the four were on the edge of their seats.

"As you wish," he agreed.

They all let out a collective sigh, even Emery, which surprised her. She hadn't realised she'd been anxiously waiting.

"I'll resume the Seven's privileges and let life in the Sector continue as it was before. As far as they are to know, we've rounded up all the Trags, including young Roman's list, and we believe the issue has been resolved. No one, in the Sector or outside, can know of the danger we face. Do I make myself clear?"

The four nodded in unison and replied, "Yes, sir."

And with that, they all rose, and were escorted from the Compound.


	6. Chapter 6: Julia

*Thank you so much for the comments everyone! Here's the newest chapter- ish. -A

6\. Julia

Julia woke up in darkness. The room was hot and dry.

She heard a pounding from across the room. She rolled to get up, falling from her bed.

She opened the door and was thrust into the wall. Someone slapped handcuffs on her wrists.

The world went black.

She woke up in the dark heat again.

Suddenly it was light. She stared across the room at a dark haired girl. She felt joy. Relief. Sadness.

She heard a voice and before she knew it she was standing, hugging the girl that had been across the room a moment ago.

The door opened.

She fell to the floor, pain racking her body.

She heard the girl crying. Wanted to tell that she was okay, that they were together again, that she loved her.

She grabbed the girl's wrist. Held on for dear life. She wouldn't have her ripped away again.

Her hand went slack, releasing the girl's wrist.

The world went black.

_Julia awoke with a start, her black hair sticking to her with sweat. She looked down at her bare arms, their veins glowing an electric blue under her translucent skin.

"Roman!" she cried, and reached for her phone.


	7. Chapter 7: Drake

7\. Drake

Drake couldn't bring himself to let go of Taylor. As they were escorted out of the Compound, to the dark car waiting on the street, he kept a tight grip on her hand. They climbed into the back, letting Emery drive them to wherever she had said they were going. Roman rode shotgun, not taking his eyes off her. Drake tried not to notice that she wouldn't meet Roman's gaze.

As they drove in silence, Taylor rested her head on his shoulder. Drake wrapped his arm around her thin frame. She let out a small moan when he hugged her closer. Hearing her pain hurt him more than any of the injuries he'd gotten since they last met.

Remembering the last time he saw her, he gazed down at her frighteningly flat stomach. He knew deep down what had happened, but he couldn't bring himself to admit it to himself. They'd have to talk about it at some point, but he wasn't ready. Frankly he didn't think she was either.

After a half hour of driving Emery parked the car amongst the trees. Wordlessly she and Roman got out of the car. Drake gently kissed a sleeping Taylor's head, "Come on Taylor, we're here. Wherever here is."

She stirred, blinking her eyes fast. She looked up at him and smiled. "You're really here," she whispered.

He grinned down at her, "Yeah, I am. And I'm not leaving you ever again, so get used to it."

She giggled as they slid out the door.

Roman sidled up beside him, "So, where are we exactly?"

"About two or three miles from Eljida. Emery pretty much nailed it, I'd say," smirked Roman.

Taylor leaned into Drake, still visibly exhausted, "Her and Grayson found it. She and I have been here about a day. There's a cabin about five minutes away."

Emery turned towards them, walking backwards towards an unmarked path in the trees, "Nobody but us, Grayson, Julia and Eric know about it, so we should be safe here."

Roman jogged to catch up with her, leaving Drake and Taylor to follow a few yards behind them.

He looked down at her, concerned, "You okay to walk Tay? You've been through a lot today."

She nodded dimly, rubbing her face with her hand. "Mhhmm," she murmured as her knees wobbled 7and gave way.

Quickly, Drake ducked and caught her, scooping her into his arms. She nuzzled close, sighing, "Maybe not."

He chuckled and quickened his pace, catching up with Roman and Emery.

After a few minutes of walking and ducking under tree branches, they arrived in a clearing. On the far side stood a log cabin, with a porch facing the bayou river.

The trio jogged up the stairs, eager to get inside and rest. Emery held the door open for Drake, letting he and a semi-conscious Taylor pass through. "Her rooms down the hall on the left. She went through hell tonight, she deserves a rest. I'll grab some food and bring it to you guys in a bit," Emery smiled at him, her look almost pained.

His mind raced at the possible things "went through hell" could mean. He didn't want to consider the countless horrible things the Sector guards would do to a teenage girl. Most human men would break, let alone a teenage girl.

Drake kicked the door open, walking into the small room and setting her down on the quilted bed. He sat next to her on the edge. He carefully ran his fingers over the purple bruise that covered half of her face. His red-hot rage was extinguished when her eyes fluttered open and she grabbed his hand in both of hers. She clung to it, holding it to her chest like a human child with a stuffed bear, and drifted off to sleep again.

If someone had told him a year ago that he'd be so in love with a human girl, he would've laughed in their face. Maybe even punched them. Now, looking down at her beautiful face, he couldn't figure out what he'd done to deserve her love. Taylor was beautiful and popular, she could've had anyone she wanted. But she chose to go after the bad-boy alien with a loneliness complex. He'd never let someone in like he had her; allowed someone other than Roman into his mind.

He'd lost his mind when the Suvek went off. He hadn't known if Taylor had survived after he'd told her to run.

Now that he had her back, he didn't think he'd be able to survive losing her again.

"You look like a marshmallow," whispered a voice over his shoulder.

Jolted out of his thoughts, he spun on the intruder, ripping his hand away from Taylor and grabbing them by the throat. He thrust them into the wall and they coughed and sputtered.

"I guess I deserve that," wheezed Roman.

Releasing his friend, Drake muttered, "You bet you did, ass."

He turned back to see a startled Taylor sitting up on the bed. At that moment Emery appeared at the door, apparently having sprinted from the kitchen after hearing the encounter. She starred down both the boys, "What the hell is going on in here?"

Roman chuckled, rubbing his throat, "I provoked the _ksevivon_." When she looked at him, clueless, he translated, "Atrian equivalent of bear. Don't worry about it, let's leave them be. We'll talk about plans after we all get some rest." Roman reached over and put a hand on Emery's back, steering her around and out the door. He called back to Drake in Sondiv, "You can get your own food now, loser."

Drake chuckled and sat down on the bed next to Taylor, pulling her head down to his chest, making sure not to hurt her. He stroked her hair, "What happened Taylor?"

She sighed, "What do you mean? A lot's happened, so you got to elaborate a little."

Drake clenched his fist that wasn't entwined in Taylor's hair and took a deep breathe, "Everything. I want to know everything that's happened."

He heard her breath catch and sputter, and looked down to see the tears welling in her eyes.

She buried her face in his chest and let out a sob, "I'm sorry, Drake. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have gotten in the car. I should've stayed with you, like Emery." She sniffed, "If I'd done something different, our daughter would still be here."

_Daughter. An iilen. A baby girl. _

He shook his head and lifted her chin so she'd look at him, "Taylor, none of this is your fault. If you really need to blame someone, blame the Trags, or Zoe. But do not blame yourself."

"But she's gone," she whispered.

Drake sighed and hugged her against him. She didn't let out any cries of pain, not even when she pulled him closer, her strength surprising him.

They lay there, pressed against each other for a long time, Taylor's sobs slowing. When they stopped he looked down and saw a hunger had replaced the anguish in her eyes. And not as a result of him forgetting to go get them food a while ago.

He leaned his head down and kissed her softly.

Taylor suddenly came alive, wrapping her arms around his neck. In turn he weaved his hands in her hair, rolling her on top of him. With her legs straddling is hips, she sat up and started unzipping his Atrian Sector uniform. She spread it open and traced kisses over his marks from his neck to his stomach. He reached up and ripped open her uniform, not sparing it. He never wanted to see her in it again.

Their kisses were deep, hungry. All of the emotions, the pain they had endured over their last three months poured out. They'd done this all before, but this time was different. Drake felt like they were one body, one soul. He felt what she felt. Her pain was his pain. Her loss was his loss. Her love was his love.

When they lay together after, wrapped in each other's arms, Taylor cried again. Not the same pain-filled sobs as before. But soundless, tired tears. Drake could've sworn he saw them slightly glow blue.

"_Asa ijita idi_," Drake whispered, kissing her hair, "I love you, Taylor."

**Hey everyone, thank you for all the love and support! Your reviews are amazing. Now, if someone could PLEASE tell me if I got Drake's character right? He's my favourite but I started writing and *poof* writer's block. So yeah. Can't wait for your responses! **

**Love you all,**

**-A**


	8. Chapter 8: Emery

**Hey guys! Thank you so much for your reviews and comments! This story has gotten over 4,000 views! OH MY GOD! I'd like to give a special shout-out to super-fan Littlemish24 for all her support! **

**And a super special thank you goes to SilverSentinal21, who is officially my Beta editor on this story. Without her, this chapter would not be what it is. She's truly amazing.**

**Now, I'll let you get back to what you really came her to do, which is read the story, not my gushy comments. So here it is!**

**-A**

8\. Emery

Emery woke up sometime after noon hour. The muggy heat of the bayou penetrated the walls of the cabin, turning the small living room into an Atrian paradise. The moisture made her clothes unpleasantly damp, causing them to stick to her clammy, human skin. She lay on top of Roman, her head on his chest. The humidity of the air mixed with Roman's warmth caused her to look up at him and rest her chin on her crossed arms. Surrounded by the chirping of crickets and croaking of bullfrogs, she silently gazed at Roman's sleeping face.

As a ray of light shone through the window, illuminating Roman's serene face, Emery felt her heart pull her towards the memories she so desperately wanted to forget. Like a slideshow, images flipped through her mind: The months she spent separated from Roman. The days and nights that she spent in Grayson's hospital room, watching his comatose body sleep as the machines beeped and whirred, praying he'd wake up. Watching Grayson learn to move again. Grayson's family screaming at her, telling her she'd ruined his life. Her own family being torn apart and scrutinized in the public eye. The dreadful interrogations at the Compound.

She'd tried desperately to forget the day in the shed. The concussion she'd received as a result of the Suvek had made her memories of those last few days vague, which helped. And whenever she found herself thinking about it in the last three months, she'd always found a way to distract herself, which usually involved helping Grayson recover. She couldn't allow herself to think about it, because in that instant her love for Roman felt so real, and so right. Like nothing could come between them.

Now, her stomach twisted in knots as thoughts of their future loomed. She wasn't certain what would happen between them, but one thing was crystal clear; the thought of losing Roman again shattered her fragile heart into a million shards of glass.

The sound of his voice pulled her from the deep, dark waters of her mind.

"You're staring," he whispered, his eyes still closed.

She smiled lightly. "How would you know?" she asked.

He opened one eye and looked at her admiringly. "I do now," he smirked.

Emery laughed and averted her eyes to the hallway that led to the bedrooms. "Should we bother waking them, or what?"

Roman looked at her and raised his eyebrows. "You really want to try that? You can't exactly un-see things. You heard them this morning, you really don't wanna go in there."

Emery shuttered, "You've said enough. They could've at least waited until we were out of the cabin."

Roman chuckled and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

Without thinking Emery reached up and kissed him. She quickly pulled back, biting her lip. "Sorry," she murmured.

He smiled at her, wrapping his arms around her. "Don't be," he said, "I think they're still asleep anyways."

He put one hand on the back of her head and pulled her back down to him. They kissed gently at first, and her heartbeat quickened as her body began to melt into him. She could feel the shards of glass in her chest come together, becoming a whole heart once again. Their kiss deepened, taking her breath away. His hands slid up under the back of her shirt, cool against her hot, clammy skin. Her hands found the zipper on the front of his uniform, opening the front and spreading her hands over his chest.

She stopped, suddenly aware of another presence.

Across the room, Emery heard somebody making kissy noises. Roman groaned beneath her.

He gave Emery a quick kiss and pulled back a few inches. "Have I mentioned you're an ass lately, Drake?" he muttered, rolling his eyes at Emery.

"I love you too, sweetheart!" Drake called, his laughter booming through the cabin.

Emery giggled, rolling off Roman. She looked over at a grinning Drake, leaning against the counter, shirtless. Roman lifted his arm over the couch, giving him the finger.

"So where's Taylor?" Emery asked, grabbing a bottle of water out of the fridge and perching on the counter across from him.

"Taking a shower I think. She mentioned something about mud and her hair," he said, looking like a clueless teenage boy.

Emery looked towards the hall. "Damn," she said, "Forgot to tell her there's no hot water yet-" Before she could finish Taylor screamed.

The boys laughed as a dripping wet Taylor emerged (wrapped in a towel, thank God). "Thanks. Em," she muttered, glaring at Emery. She turned and stomped back towards the bathroom.

Emery rolled her eyes, "We're in the middle of the bayou. I don't know what she expects."

"So," said Roman coming up and leaning on the counter next to her. He started tracing circles on the small of her back, "What exactly are we going do to? You know, to solve our little problem?"

Emery sipped her water and sighed, "I have no idea."

Taylor returned, wearing an oversized t-shirt that Emery was fairly certain was Drake's, and situated herself in front of him. "Seriously? Can we not just have one day off? I'm tired of planning and saving the world," she complained.

Emery couldn't help but laugh. Drake hadn't been back a whole day, and he'd already returned Taylor to her old, perky, opinionated self. It was the first time Taylor looked alive since the accident.

Suddenly, someone banged on the door, twice, once and then three times. Drake and Roman cursed but Emery simply hopped off the counter and rolled her eyes at the boys. "Stand down," she told them, "It's either Grayson, Julia or Eric. We agreed on a knock so we'd know."

She opened the door and Julia came flying in, Eric in tow. Without saying a word to Emery, she ran up to Roman and hugged him.

"Hey Julia! Yeah we're great, thanks. How was your night?" Emery muttered under her breath, closing the door.

Over in the kitchen Julia was gushing, "Oh, my God Roman I was so worried. I thought you were dead! That room, those guards, they were horrible. I'm so glad you're okay."

The rest of the group was silent. Emery, Taylor and Drake stared, slack jawed, at Julia. Eric, on the other hand, stood, rocking back on his heels. Unlike the others, he didn't stare. In fact, he seemed to be entirely unconcerned as Julia continued babbling and clung to _her_ boyfriend.

Emery stopped. _Did I just think of him as my boyfriend?_ she wondered to herself. She couldn't remember thinking of him that way since the explosion.

She crossed her arms and cleared her throat. "Julia. Over hear. Care to fill us in?" she asked her best friend. She noticed a trace of venom in her own voice, hoping nobody else would pick up on it.

Julia was oblivious to it, seeing as she released Roman and latched onto Emery. "Em, how could you be so stupid?! Going into the Sector alone? You could've been killed!" Julia asked, ignoring Taylor's protests from behind her.

Emery put her hands on Julia's shoulders and held her at arm's length, "Julia. Snap out of it. And explain."

Julia shook her head quickly, returning to Earth. "I'm sorry Emery. I should've told you, but I didn't want you to worry you. You had enough on your plate with the Blacklist and with helping Grayson get better and trying to get the Atrians back."

"Okay Jules, I forgive you. Would you mind telling me why I'm forgiving you though?"

Julia bit her lip, "Well, uh, I've been having these, um, vision type things. About Roman. It started back when… uh…"

"Oh my god Julia! You're not pregnant are you?!" Emery exclaimed.

The thought of Roman with Julia made Emery's heart drop to her stomach. She felt cold and betrayed. Roman loved _her_. He wanted to spend his future with _her_. He'd told her that before, more than once. The emptiness in Emery's chest was so overwhelming, she felt tears start to well up in her eyes.

Taylor piped up, "Oh no, that's not part of the package. Your safe, Em."

Emery felt the blood rush to her face. Aware of the vibrant shade of scarlet she must be, she rubbed her hands over her face. _This is mortifying,_ she thought to herself. She desperately hoped she hadn't offended Roman by thinking it. _Anyone would think that right?_ She told herself. _I mean, what else would explain- _Her hands dropped and she groaned as she realized there was a much more obvious and simple explanation for something like this. Especially since it was Julia and Roman they were talking about. She felt like hitting her head against a wall. _Stupid, stupid, _she thought.

Julia shook her head. "I think it was the, uh, Cyper. Since it was Roman who saved me, his blood. So I'm kind of, connected to him."

"So wait?" asked Drake. "Can you, like, read his mind now? Cause that would be totally awkward." Taylor punched him in the arm. Surprisingly, he grunted and rubbed at the spot, "Damn, woman."

"No," Julia said, shaking her head. "It's like dreams. I get them when I'm sleeping, but only when he's sad, or hurt, or scared. Like when you were all in the Compound. And I don't read his thoughts, it's like I am him. But his thoughts are broken and jumbled. And it's like looking through someone else's glasses. Foggy and blurry."

Emery looked towards Roman, raising her brow. "But you don't get these dreams?" she asked him.

He shook his head, "No, I didn't even know she did. Like she said, it sounds like another side effect of Cyper. We don't know what happens when our blood mixes with a human's. Or it could be the Vire she had to take after that. I was told it could have some side effects."

Emery let out a breath and released Julia. "Okay," she said, "We can handle this. Cyper saved you, so I can't be mad that it's glitched out. Yes, it's awkward-," she heard Drake quietly chuckle and grunt again, "-but we can't fix it. So let's move on." Emery smiled at her best friend.

"Well," said Taylor, clasping her hands together, "Now that our morning dose of drama is out of the way, can we please eat? I haven't eaten since yesterday and I'm starving."

"Well if you two hadn't been so busy this morning, you wouldn't have missed breakfast," laughed Roman, coming up behind Emery and wrapping his arms around her waist.

Drake raised a suggestive eyebrow at him. "Oh yeah? You're one to talk, brother. And who was it they would've walked in on having some fun on the couch? Not us."

Emery felt herself blush as they laughed. Roman called something to Drake in Sondiv and kissed her cheek.

Eric, who'd been silent this whole time, piped up. "Well, it's great to have you both back! Now, about that food…"


	9. Chapter 9: Teri

***Hey guys! Been a while! Lots happening this summer, so I had no time to write! But no fear, I'm back. It's not quite a full chapter, and completely rough, but here's a little something to quench your Star Crossed thirst.**

**Happy Arrival Day! – A**

9\. Teri

Teri stood beside her father, a grim look upon her face. The two stared out over the thousands of Atrians in Eljida. Her father spoke in Sondiv, not knowing or caring to learn any English. He spoke of the war they would soon launch against the humans, and his plan to transform Earth into the new Atria. He explained to them the new plant they'd been using to transform Eljida into an aquatic paradise.

The plant was leafy and blue, shining the same electric colour as their own marks did when they touched water. The same colour that shone on the faces of the thousands of Atrians in front of her. The purpose of the plant, as her father explained, was to increase the humidity of the air around them. It would ensure that Atrians would remain strong and healthy, inhaling water from the air with every breath and absorbing it through their skin.

It was true, Teri had never felt stronger than when she set foot for the first time in Eljida. It felt like diving into the pool at the human school when nobody was around, like running through the sprinklers in the Sector, like swimming with her father, at home in the lagoon near their home in Atria, before the men left for their fishing trips. It felt like coming home.

She watched as her father explained that the seeds would travel, reproducing the plants across the area, creating an environment so humid that the humans would flee. Add in quips about chasing them out, taking the human cities one by one and the odd strong suggestion that lives would be lost on the humans' side and her father had his Atrian followers hanging on his every word, ready to risk their lives for a stupid plan.

Of course, she'd never tell her father her thoughts on the plan. He'd most likely lock her in the sauna shed until she looked ninety-two.

After his speech was over, Teri's father took her for a walk along the river banks of the bayou. The brackish water was absolutely still, lest for the odd trail of ripples the water bugs left of the surface as they glided around. Tree frogs croaked around them, but it was otherwise quiet. Not much of the fauna ventured this far into the bayou.

"Any news on mother?" she asked him. She asked only for appearance, she wouldn't care if she ever saw Vega again.

"Unfortunately I have heard no word from any of my sources on your mother. Last we had discovered, she had been removed from your Crate and transferred to a location unknown to our sources," he replied.

Teri nodded, pretending to care. "What will we do next then, Father?"

He stepped in front of her, putting his hands on her shoulders. Her father, Torren, was a head taller than her, with the same square jaw and dark hair cropped into a crew cut. His marks on his face were illuminated, running from his temples to the corners of his mouth. When he smiled down at her, the grin looked as if it stretched creepily across his face, like the Joker character she'd seen in the humans' movies.

He squeezed her arms, grinning. "You, my dearest daughter Teri, play a crucial part in the next stage. You are going to fulfil your destiny that your mother and I set in place for you when you were first born. I'm so proud of you, Teri. Congratulations."

She scrunched her face, confusion flooding her thoughts. "What do you mean, Father. I don't understand. What am I supposed to do?"

He put his hands on either side of her face and looked at her with such pride. "You're going to unite the tribes. Just as we promised Nox so long ago…"

His voice trailed off as Teri's ears started to ring. She shook her head sharply, forcing herself back into focus. She wanted to ask her father what he'd said, tell him she hadn't heard him right. She couldn't have possibly heard him right, because what he was saying was crazy. Crazy and impossible.

But she'd heard him just fine; she knew exactly what he'd said to her.

He'd told her she was going to be wed.

He'd told her she was going to wed Roman in three days.


	10. Chapter 10: Taylor

***Hi guys, Happy New Year! Long-time no see! Sorry I've been gone so long, I've had a lot of things going on. But I've gotten a few messages about the story and decided I'd post what I had so far for Chapter 10.  
WARNING: This has not been edited. I apologize for any typos, grammatical errors etc. that may show up. The next chapter will be better and hopefully not take so long. **

–**A**

10\. Taylor

Taylor laughed. She felt the muscles in her face fall into a smile. She felt Drake's arm around her shoulders as he leaned back in the chair next to her. She nibbled at a fresh strawberry, watching the animation in his face as he told a story about one of many times he and Roman had gotten in trouble as children. Roman made a remark about how it had always been Drake's idea, sending another bubble of laugher through Taylor. She'd missed this feeling over the last three months. She felt at home sitting at the table with all of her friends; her family. She felt happy.

Taylor finished her plate and pushed it towards the centre of the table. "So, what plans to we have today? Saving the world or some other extreme sport, you know?" It was a general question, directed at no one in particular, but the room went eerily quiet for a moment. Almost long enough for her to regret asking; Taylor Beecham was never a buzz-kill.

Emery, the girl who always had a plan, broke the silence. "Well, I was thinking that we need to know what we're up against. I mean, we've fought the Trags before. But they must be a fringe group compared to the rest of Atria coming to their rescue."

Drake nodded. "The armies the rest of our people brought here would make the Trags look like puppies. Not to mention the resources they have from Atria. Plants, weapons, warriors; you name it they probably have it. From what time I spent with the Trags I caught up on just who might've been up there waiting. And they're some nasty sons of bitches."

Roman leaned in, his face going serious. "For the most part, it would be members of the _Iwabas_ and _Vwasak_. Those are Teri and Drake's tribes. Most of my tribe came down with us. The _Iwabas_ specialize in plants. While that sounds nice and safe it's not. Vega's greenhouse was filled with plants that could be used as weapons, and cause intense pain or death. Those are the tribe favourites. _Vwasak_ are warriors, which is pretty self-explanatory. Neither are someone you would want to mess with."

"While we can't really prepare for someone slipping _rahtab_ into the water supplies, I can try and prepare you for physical combat. It's probably the only use I'll have," explained Drake.

Across the table, Roman chuckled. Taylor looked over at Julia, who looked like Drake was speaking Cantonese. "I'm sorry, but can we back up a sec? You, want to teach us, a couple of human girls, how to fight?" she asked Drake, eyes wide. Eric rubbed her shoulder, his lips pursed white from holding in his laughter.

Emery stifled her own laugh, looking over to Julia. "Look at it this way Jules, you always wanted a personal trainer. Drake is kind of like Tristan, isn't it?"

Julia stuck her tongue out at Emery.

Taylor pushed back her chair and stood, putting her palms on the table. "Well, I am definitely up for a little training." She leaned down so that her face was level to Drake's. "Meet you outside in ten?"

He smirked at her. "You bet, babe," he said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear and giving her a quick kiss.

"Alright, Ro, come help me show these girls how it's done"

Eric flipped Drake the finger.

Roman snorted a laugh. "Not a chance, _iwap_. I'm not feeling a black eye today." He turned to Eric. "How about you go show him how it's done? Wouldn't be the first time."

Eric gave a cocky grin, cracked his knuckles and waltzed up to stand beside Drake. "Let's do this."

Taylor sighed, her hands on her hips. "Can you guys just cool the testosterone and get on with it? I'd really, really like to hit something."

Drake raised an eyebrow, but turned towards Eric. He broke down how they should kick and punch without hurting themselves. Next he explained holds and how to get out of them. After explaining, he turned towards Eric, fist raised.

Watching Drake fight fascinated Taylor. It was like watching a graceful, yet deadly dance. Each of his movements were concise and clean. He swung a punch towards Eric face, being careful not to actually hit it. As Eric dodged back, Drake followed through with a step forward and an uppercut that would've sent Eric reeling, if he'd actually hit him. Instead of dropping his hands back into stance, he grabbed Eric's shoulders and brought his face down to his rising knee. Stopping before impact, Drake wrapped an arm around Eric's neck, catching him in a headlock. Quickly, Eric wrapped his leg around Drake's and jerked it back, throwing the bigger boy off balance. When they straightened, Eric threw a right hook, which Drake blocked with ease. Like a viper, he reached, caught Eric's wrist and flipped him onto his back on the ground. Drake put his foot down on Eric's chest below his neck. He smirked.

Roman gave a slow clap and chuckled. "And that is why you never offer to fight Drake."

"Alright. Let's break into groups guys. Eric, maybe you'll have a better luck with your girlfriend," laughed Drake, taking his foot off of Eric's chest and helping him up.

Emery stepped forward, "So we're going to fight you guys?" She turned to Roman. "Not that I don't trust you but I don't think it would go over too well, explaining to my parents that my boyfriend gave me a black eye."

Roman sidled up to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, "We aren't going to hit you. You girls can throw the punches, we're just going to block and make sure you don't hurt yourselves."

Drake took Taylor's hand and led her over to a clear space by the river. He pulled her in front of him "Alright, so just take it slow. You saw how to hold a punch properly right?" She held up her hands in fists. "Good. Now take it easy. And don't worry about hurting me," he smirked and leaned down to give her a kiss.

Before he could, Taylor ducked, jumping back. He looked at her with a glint of the challenge in his eye, rolled his neck and lunged for her waist. Quick, she stepped to the side and he grabbed at air. She turned, grabbing his shoulders and brought her knee up into his stomach. She shoved him away and jumped back on the balls of her feet, hand raised in fists, grinning.

When he looked up she lunged, carefully placed punches flying by his face in quick succession. On the third swing he caught her wrist and flipped her forward. After seeing him use the same move on Eric, she made sure to launch herself off the ground as he did, giving herself the momentum to get her legs around his neck, using his own weight to flip him instead. He landed on his back, letting out an oath. He kicked up, getting to his feet.

"You were saying?" she giggled.

He shook his head and lunged again. She jumped, landing a roundhouse kick to his side. He recovered quickly, before she had a chance to turn towards him. Grabbing her around the waist he brought her to the ground, careful to not let his weight land on her. It was her turn to curse. She glared at him.

"Pretty good for a little thing," he chuckled, nuzzling her neck.

She grabbed his shirt in both hands and rolled over, so that she was straddling him. She leaned down and kissed him hard, the adrenaline from the fight lingering. Sitting up, she looked at the elbows of her bright blue long sleeved shirt. "Great. You gave me grass stains." She pouted.

"Aw, babe," he gave her a lopsided smirk that made her heart flutter. He put his hands on her bare thighs, rubbing absentmindedly.

Looking down at him, she saw concern in his eyes. "What's wrong Drake?'

He looked out at the river. "Do you know how far we are from Eljida?" he asked her.

She bit her lip, trying to remember what Emery had told her. "Not really. But I know we're close. That's why Grayson picked it."

He shook his head and looked up her. "Speaking of Grayson, how is he? I meant to ask but Roman…"

She waved him off. "Don't worry about it, he's fine. He'll be here later, he had physio. And don't think you're distracting me." She pulled him up so that he was sitting with her in his lap. "Now tell me what's bothering you, Drake."

"It's just… it's so weird being so close to Eljida. So close to my mom, and she doesn't even know it. It's just, she's stuck there with all of the Trags and the others. If she got hurt…"

Taylor felt her eyes sting. It had taken Drake a while to be able tell her about his mother. No sooner had she come back to him, had she had to leave again. He'd told her just before Mardi Gras that she'd left for Eljida. As tough and badass as Drake was, he loved his mother and he wanted her in his life. She'd already missed more than half of it.

"Drake, we'll get her back. We will find your mom. I promise you that." She leaned forward and kissed him sweetly.

"Thank you, Tay. It means a lot to me."

She smiled at him and hopped to her feet "Come on, let's go show the others how it's done."

He smirked, getting to his feet. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and led her back toward their friends.


	11. Chapter 11: Roman

***Hi guys! Sorry it's been so long since I updated. Second term was crazy, but I'm finally done. Hopefully now I'll be able to write more for you guys during the summer. This chapter might be a bit rough around the edges, and likely has a few errors, and for that I apologize. Thanks for sticking around! xoxo**

–**A**

11\. Roman

Emery's fist flew towards Roman's face. He side stepped, leaning back to avoid the hit. Lithely, she aimed a roundhouse kick at his ribs. He reached to grab her leg before it could make contact, but he was a moment too slow. As he turned, her leg caught him in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him and causing him to double over and sink to his knees.

Emery let out a laugh. "Come on, if you don't fight back how am I supposed to learn to defend myself?" She held out her hand to help him up. He took it, yanking her down on top of him, earning another laugh from her.

He rolled her over on the thick grass, pinning her arms above her head. "Alright, tell you what? You get yourself out of this and on your feet, and you win. And I'll play offense tomorrow."

Emery smiled up at him. "You're on," she laughed.

She arched up, trying to roll him over her head. Having taught her the move himself, he knew enough to keep his weight steady over her hips, keeping her firmly on the ground. She huffed, blowing hair out her eyes. Suddenly, she flicked her wrists around, grabbing his instead. She yanked his arms apart, throwing him off balance. She thrust her hips up, causing him to tumble forward. Nimbly, she rolled onto her stomach, pushing herself up getting to her feet.

Just before she could right herself, Roman swept her legs out from under her, sending her back to the ground. He stood over Emery as she winced. He held a hand out for her, offering an end to their sparring match. She pouted, taking his hand in hers. But, before he could pull her up, she hooked her foot behind his knee and yanked him to the ground beside her. She sprung up, standing over him and laughing.

"I win," she chirped, smiling down at him.

Roman rolled over and stretched out on the lush green grass of the Louisiana bayou. He closed his eyes, taking in the sounds of the fauna. After a moment of peace he opened his eyes. Emery now stood at the edge of brackish waters. Roman got up, brushing himself off.

He came up behind Emery, snaking his arms around her waist and resting his head on her shoulder. Her hands came to rest on his.

"It's so peaceful out here. So beautiful. It almost makes me wish we could stay; just forget about the alien war raging on at home," she said quietly. She leaned back into him and he saw that her eyes were closed.

Since arriving in the bayou, they hadn't had much time to themselves. Six people packed into one cabin was not the ideal situation for any of them, and it had only been two days. Those last two days had been spent training the girls, and Eric, to fight the Trags hand to hand. It wasn't exactly like he could sit down and talk to Emery about the last few months between right hooks and roundhouse kicks.

"Emery," he started.

"Are you hungry?" she said at the same time, turning in his arms to face him.

He gave his head a quick shake and smiled down at her. "Worked up an appetite kicking my ass, did you?"

Emery giggled and gave him a quick kiss, "Absolutely."

He took her hand and they walked back to the cabin.

Inside, Taylor and Drake were nowhere to be seen. Julia and Eric had gone for a supply trip an hour ago.

"Guys? Taylor? Drake?" Emery called out.

Only silence answered her. She shrugged. "They must be outside. Sucks for them."

Roman chuckled and followed her to the kitchen. Together they fixed sandwiches and grabbed some bottled water from the fridge. They stood at the counter, scarfing down their food. When they were finished, Emery cleared their plates while Roman leaned over the counter and powered up the old tablet Emery and Taylor had brought with them.

He opened the browser and clicked to local news website. The headline that flashed before his eyes didn't surprise him one bit. _Two Dead, Three Injured In Atrian Terrorist Attack_. He scrolled through, skimming the article. According to the authorities, a group of radical Atrians had orchestrated an escape by detonating explosives along the North wall of the Sector. Guards had gotten wind of it, and decided to check it out. Two of them had blown up with the wall while three were knocked back by the explosion. Nine of the Trags had escaped and only one had been captured. Roman knew they'd never find the escaped Trags; the army of Atrians would've scooped them up already.

Emery leaned over the counter next to him, reading the screen. She sighed. "Should've seen that one coming. Things are getting restless in the Sector, aren't they?"

Roman clicked off the tablet and tossed it on the counter, harder than he'd meant to. "I should've. The humans aren't getting the whole story on what's going on inside." He turned, leaning back and crossing his arms.

She looked up at him, and he could see the question echoing in her hazel eyes.

Roman sighed. "In the Sector, things are bad. Worse than you and Taylor saw. They're executing us, publically, in the middle of the Sector. They wake us all up, herd us out like cattle and force us to watch them kill our kind. Even the children have to watch. It's a warning, they say. If anyone steps out of line, breaks even the smallest rule, they will pay the punishment. And the only payment they seem to accept is death."

Emery's face was still. Silence hung between them for a few moments, filled only with sounds from the outside world.

When he looked at her again, he saw the tears welling in her eyes. They spilled over, leaving trails down either side of her face. She was quick to wipe them away with the back of her hand. He reached out and grabbed her hand.

"Hey. Don't cry, we're going to fix this," he murmured, squeezing her hand in his.

She sniffed and sighed. "It's not that, I know we're working on it. I'm just so sorry you went through that. That any of you went through that. Nobody deserves that, not even the Trags. Nobody should've died, we should've just left the Atrians alone on Arrival Day. So many of you have died since then, and it's our fault. There's so much blood on our hands. And I'm so sorry we didn't get you out of there sooner. We should've come sooner and-"

He cut her off before she could start hyperventilating. "Emery, don't. None of this is your fault. You did nothing wrong." He stepped in front of her and held her chin in his other hand. "Look at me Emery. Don't apologize. I'm okay. You did everything you could."

After a moment Emery's hazel eyes met his. Roman could see the tears matted in her long eyelashes, her eyes still bloodshot from sleep deprivation, the bruise around her eye having faded to a pale shade of yellow. Her hair was knotted from training, and her skin glistened with sweat and humidity causing her clothes to stick. Even tired and battered as she was, the girl standing in front of him was beautiful.

He loved Emery. He had for a long time. The first human to have shown him love and kindness. He'd never forgotten her, longed to meet her again, to thank her. Then he had, on their first day of school. He'd seen her, and he'd fallen in love with her.

He'd gotten her into this mess. She wanted to blame herself for this, but she couldn't. Because it wasn't her fault, it was his.

"Where are you?" she murmured, cocking her head to the side as she watched him.

"Sorry. I was just thinking."

She sighed and placed her palms to his chest, spreading her fingers over his damp shirt. "I thought Atrians didn't mind heat and humidity?" she asked, conversation tumbling in another direction.

He chuckled. "We don't. But five hours of fighting tends to work up a sweat."

"Ah I see. So, how long do you think Taylor and Drake are going to be gone for?" she asked, biting at the corner of her lip.

He placed his hands on the counter on either side of her and looked around the room. "I can only imagine. Sometime before dusk?"

Emery smiled at him, her face lighting up. She tilted her face up to Roman's, the afternoon sun streaming through the window behind her, casting a glow around her, like an angel.

He leaned down, touching his lips to hers. He kissed her softly, feeling the warmth rise in his chest, a feeling of pure bliss like nothing he'd ever felt before. Her hands moved to behind his neck and she tangled her hands in his hair, pulling him closer. He leaned in, pressing his body against hers, kissing her harder. His hands went to the small of her back, one wrapping around the hem of her damp t-shirt.

After a long moment Emery broke the kiss, but stayed close, her hands on either side of his neck. "Roman?" she whispered, her voice husky.

He opened his eyes to see hers no more than an inch in front of him, their foreheads pressed together. He held her against him. "Yeah?"

"I missed you."

Roman's world seemed to spin and stop at the same time. The only thing that he saw was her glowing face. The only thing that he felt was her touch. The only thing that he cared about was Emery.

"I missed you, more than you know," he breathed.

She grinned, a smile he hadn't seen since before the Mardis Gras parade. Then, she brought his face down to hers and kissed him the way she had in her shed, what felt like a lifetime ago.

He lifted his arms, and her shirt, over her head and tossed it to the floor. His came off next, Emery pulling it over his head. He wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off of her feet. She wrapped her legs around him, her arms firmly around his neck. And he carried her, while she giggled and laughed, down the hall and through the door to her room.

Roman woke to moonlight streaming through the bedroom window, illuminating the room in a dull, milky glow. His hand went to Emery head on his chest, stroking her matted hair while he watched her. Her face was peaceful while she slept, like none of the worries or dangers of the world around them could harm her. Sweat beaded on her forehead from the humidity in the tiny room, and the sheets they were tangled in seemed to cling to her clammy skin.

He leaned forward a pressed a light kiss to the top of her head. She stirred, but didn't wake, soft snores echoing through the room. He smiled, slung his other arm over his head and drifted back to sleep.

An hour later, Roman woke to a sharp, cold pain in his arm. His eyes flew open and he saw a face hovering over his own. Not Drake's face. Or Taylor's. Or Julia or Eric's. And certainly not Emery's face.

"Torren?" he muttered, his mouth numb and fuzzy.

"Rest now, Roman. You'll wake when we're home. Teri's been waiting for you," the dark haired Atrian murmured.

"Wha…" he trailed off, as he slipped into a dreamless unconsciousness. Strong arms pulled him away from Emery, and Roman's world went black.


End file.
